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Shirley Butler

Shirley Butler, LCSW

Therapist in Montana

Compassionate social worker focused on listening

Continue with Shirley Review online therapy options on BetterHelp.
  • Creates calm space
  • Collaborative plans
  • Practical tools

About Shirley

Shirley Butler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 23 years in the mental health field. She practices from Montana and brings long experience from community mental health, Tribal behavioral health, and a private practice she opened in 2013. Shirley centers her work on creating a calm, respectful space where people can tell their story and start to make changes.

She spent significant time living and working on reservation communities and has worked across many cultures. That background informs how she notices cultural context and different life experiences during sessions. Shirley values curiosity and listens closely to understand each person's history and concerns.

Her approach begins with building rapport and a clear alliance. Together with clients she creates a treatment plan that fits their goals and needs. She focuses on practical steps people can try between sessions and checks in about what is or isn't helping.

Shirley has supported people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting strain, and career or relationship challenges. She also addresses issues such as abandonment, codependency, communication problems, and forgiveness. Her work often includes attention to self-worth and women's issues.

With a Master of Social Work and a record of substantial supervised clinical hours before licensure, Shirley draws on several therapeutic approaches. She describes therapy as a collaborative process where clients guide which parts of their story to examine and change.

This summary is based on the profile information listed on BetterHelp.

How certain approaches can guide online work

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on the patterns people form in close relationships. It looks at how early connections shape trust and safety and helps people try new ways of relating when relationships feel stuck.

Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's experience. The therapist listens with empathy, follows what the person brings, and supports them in finding their own solutions to problems like depression or anxiety.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. It is often used for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and for improving daily coping skills.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Shirley will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That choice is revisited as progress is made so the plan can shift when needed.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm which session formats are offered before booking since the biography does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, avoid travel time, and check in between appointments when needed. Some formats may be shorter or rely less on video, which can help when bandwidth or a quiet moment is limited. Licensed professionals can adapt attachment, client-centered, and CBT approaches in remote sessions to focus on listening, skill practice, and collaborative planning.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Shirley commonly help with?

She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting challenges, relationship and family issues, career problems, bipolar concerns, anger, and coping with life changes.

What style of therapy should I expect?

Shirley focuses on building rapport and a collaborative plan. Sessions typically include listening, practical coping strategies, and checking what helps between sessions.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has 23 years of experience in the mental health field, including work in community mental health, Tribal behavioral health, crisis on-call rotation, and private practice since 2013.

What credentials and location are listed?

She is an LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - practicing from Montana.

Are sessions offered in other languages or internationally?

Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are available?

The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.

How does payment and cost work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with Shirley?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Therapists on BetterHelp do not prescribe medication. A doctor can talk with you about medical options. If you are thinking about suicide, call or text 988; in an emergency, call 911.

Shirley ButlerContinue with Shirley